Florida Author Mark Winegardner Chosen to Pen 'Godfather' Sequel

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml...storyID=2189243

Hey folks. I was the guy that posted the information on the "The Corleones" a few topics ago. I spoke with Geoff Malta via e-mail and told him a little about how I came across my information. Someone close to me is in a position to have had the chance to deal directly with two prospective authors for the new Godfather novel. I will post the information I sent Geoff in a below post in this topic, so read on...

Has anyone read his books? I will have to go out and find them to get a feel for how he writes.

Thanks for the link!!!

Here's the article in full...

Florida Author Chosen to Pen 'Godfather' Sequel
Fri Feb 7, 10:22 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Random House has made author Mark Winegardner an offer he can't refuse.

The publisher said on Friday it picked the Florida-based writer to pen the sequel to "The Godfather," Mario Puzo's 1969 tale of Mafia ties and betrayal that sold 20 million copies and inspired a trilogy of films about the Corleone family.

Winegardner, author of the novels "The Veracruz Blues" and "Crooked River Burning," directs the creative writing program at Florida State University. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida.

Winegardner, who is of German-Irish ancestry, predicted his lack of Italian blood would not pose a problem in writing the book, which he hopes to have ready by the end of next year.

"Puzo himself said there's nothing in 'The Godfather' about the Mafia that he didn't learn in the library," Winegardner told NBC's Today show, where the announcement was made.

The naming of Winegardner caps a selection process launched in November by Random House editor Jon Karp, who worked with Puzo the last 10 years of the author's career. Puzo died in 1999.

In seeking an author for the sequel, Karp was as ruthless as one of the thugs in the original -- rejecting two British authors simply because of their nationality.

"I don't think that the Mafia can be done by a Brit," Karp said. "No Brits are going to be writing the next 'Godfather' novel."

The project has the blessing of Puzo's kin, with son Tony saying his father would have been comfortable with the idea.

"There was honor in making money," Tony Puzo said, commenting on his father's philosophy.

Random House is a unit of German media group Bertelsmann .

Thanks Mtoppi & Geoff!

Is it safe to assume now that there will be at least a GF (Or Corleone) book? If so, I'm sure a film won't be far behind.

Do keep us posted please!

Thanks again

TIS

mtoppi, thankyou for the info, I cant wait for this The fact the guy is German/Irish (just like Tom Hagan) made me smile too, hope it's a good omen

FH

Actually, on the "Today Show" (an american morning TV program) when asked about his "non-Italian" roots being a "handicap" in writing about the mob, Winegardner smiled and said "Neither was Tom Hagen (Sicilian)!"

Too right BK he was German/Irish

FH

Am I the only one who is really excited about this book? I can't wait. Though it will be awhile. Fall of 2004

It's on Yahoo! News today.

Ok, he is writing the book. I can assume it will not be called Godfather 4, because Godfather 2 and 3 were never made into novels. So this means that it will probably go by another name altogether. Will this mean that the movie will not be called Godfather 4? I hope that's not the case. If it is a sequel, it MUST be called Godfather 4, it is simply part of the lore. Any other title would be more like a spinoff than a sequel, although this might actually be the case considering the writer is different. Ahhhh, my head is spinning!

Am I getting ahead of myself here? Perhaps this things will stay on the pages and off the silver screen. I'll be Paramount will want to make money off of it, but do they even have the rights for the movie? I can't say that I'd enjoy anything Godfather related to be made into a movie. It must be an excellent script and it MUST BE DIRECTED BY FFC!!! If this is not the case, I'll boycott!

Check out Mike Winegardner\'s web site - the (tentative?) title is The Godfather Returns... Oi vey, I don't like that title :rolleyes: Who's returning? I prefer The Corleones right now...
JG

NO!!! I don't like the title either! It's NOT a good omen! The Corleones would be much better. I don't think "Godfather" should even be in the title. I hope this guy knows what he's doing. Can't wait tho, to hear more info.

TIS

I kind of figured the only reason he was writing it was so they could make another movie.

No, please not a Godfather sequel and not a Corleone book! The only person who should write a sequel is Mario Puzo, and he's dead. Having The Godfather only is enough, what do we need a sequel for?! It's gonna ruin Mario's work!

Noooo..no..no, Godfather Returns is not good. Reminds me of Batman Returns and The Return Of...(fill in your own title here) :rolleyes: I think something like 'Corleones...The Early Years'.
I'm hoping here it WILL be the early years I suppose we'll have to wait and see, Godfather Returns might just be a working title.

FH

I don't know how the others fell about 'Mark', but a Floridian German-irish who was born in the early 1960's, writing about a NYC italian crime family cira. 1950 is not sitting well with me. I am predicting a flop.

I understand what you're saying DK. I just don't know if he'll have the "feel" for the atmosphere like Puzo did. However, since he is "the chosen one" we'll just have to hope that he does, as I know all of us want it to be "good." Keep your fingers crossed. It may be difficult, but not impossible.

TIS

Im not too keen on the entire idea.

I don't know I thought "the family" lacked a little bit having been finished by another author. So i'm a little skeptical, but if Puzo would've been okay with it, i'm down. I like the idea of having another godfather book to read. I'm thinking its going to be kinda like "The Sicilian" in the sense that it has the characters but is named something other than "The Godfather".

Mmmmmm The Godfather Returns eh? I smell a stinkin' big cash in (even bigger than GFIII!)

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I could be proved wrong but I don't like the sound of what's to come.

Maybe I can add some intel. Because the Dutch television has announced that there will be a GF 4 called "Corleone.." (there should be something after that, according to my sister who told me this). The book will be written by the same author as mentioned in this treat. So it looks this is no fake info.

Hopefully I'm wrong, because I think I don't like GF 4.

Does anybody now for shure there will be
an Godfather Part 4... Please tell me!!

Greet, Holland

I could not believe that Puzo's son said he would be thrilled with this!

Somehow I doubt it, especially since the son said, "he loved anything that was a best seller and would make money" I don't believe that at all. In fact Puzo felt so passionately about the book that when he heard Danny Kaye was going to grab ownership rights and star in it, he flipped out, and started the campaign for Marlon etc...(you all know this )

I think it's outrageous how a contest was done. I've heard it is supposed to focus on the 3 sons..How can that be? NO ONE CAN EVER DUPLICATE WHAT PACINO DID FOR THE ROLE OF MICHAEL. Why would that even make sense to start there. Then I also heard it will pick up where 3 ended, which also makes 0 sense. Anyway, it is supposed to focus on the Corleone family somehow.

I tried to find info today, but could only come up with what Today had shown. Release for 2004 but Paramount does have first dibs on the movie rights

Yes, we fans should boycott alright!

...I think he's got a hell of a pair of big shoes to fill. Or perhaps they'll be filled with cement!

I am aganst the use of De Nero in the 4th chapter but dont get me wrong I want him to play Vito. I believe he is the only man other than Brando who could do it. But his age is hindering. They could show Vito's rise to power which would be nice because it does go into even more detail in the Puzo original novel, his rise to the status "DON". He would naturally be older in the movie scince they would focus on issues after Fanucci's death. If they can make Anthony Hopkins(Great Actor) look younger in Red Dragon they can make De Nero look younger, But it would look terrible. ALl in all the whole idea of GF 4 is bad. It is such a good thing, I know it would be great to have more, but the Godfather reached the top, it cant go anywhere but down now( a new one, the old godfather is not going anywhere )

Sinceramente,

The Don Michael Ferro

I just got an email from Mr. Winegardner who had this to say:

WOW, DonG, you sent him an e-mail? Good for you!lol. we're proud of ya! You know, I just dont know yet where i stand on this GF4 idea (or whatever they'll name the sequel). But- until i do decide where i stand, ill just say that this Winegardner guy sounds pretty sincere. It seems as if he's gonna try his best. (plus, now he knows-if he doesnt-he's gotta deals wit us guys) .

I like the part about no movie being made.

I have even more reservations about a book than I do a possible Godfather IV. Of course, it will make a lot of money. I just feel sorry for the writer who's doing it, and ironically Puzo and Coppola made it even more daunting because of many things they did and did not do in III.

I loved III too, but there are few people I know who read the book that didn't have some problems with it. It's been awhile since I read the book (I've read it many times). I realize Michael could be included the book, but his inclusion/exclusion is a difficult question at best.

Other than Vincente and Connie, who left is a compelling character? I would see Anthony's involvement as being limited or as a victim. Any other reworking of his character I think would violate what Puzo and Coppola did in III. Kay would only seem to come into play as some sort of cheezy device such as Anthony being kidnapped. It's hard to see Andrew being terribly interesting at all. Al Neri, as a character is interesting but would probably be minor also. And heck, I forgot the name of Vincente's right hand guy, but he didn't grab me at all.

Since this book will be the story of the Corleone family and not about Michael as all three films were to me. The only available unmined dynamic I can think of, was something I thought ridiculously not dealt with at all in III was Vincente's siblings. I'm hazy about the number of children Sonny had in the book, but we of course, see his son in the first film. So I thought it very odd a story half/centered around Sonny's illegitamate son didn't at least acknowledge their existence. It's hard to imagine Michael lived his life not involved with his slain brother's children. It's very un-Italian.
So this guys going to write a book about the Corleone family. And you'd think he'd have to at least mention every member we know to be living. If he ignores Sonny's other kids, you'd think Connie's would be mentioned, and by the way, think those kids could have some issues? The trouble is how can he ignore them? And how can he effectively use them ivolving the family business without explaing where they were and what was happening during the events in III where they don't exist? It's tricky at best, and at worst it intrudes on a storyline Puzo and Coppola wrote.

As a devotee of the books and the films, I admit I was wondering what would likely have happened as Sonny's other children watched their bastard half-brother assume control of a multi-billion dollar family business. Apparently it was impossible to deal with in a 3 and a half hour movie, but it was one of several slights that bothered me about III. Has anyone heard Coppola discuss this?

Sorry I've been rambling here, but one final thought. Does Paramount own the rights to put out IV? I've assumed so and I have heard rumors (I thought) being bandied about that scripts were being written at Paramount without participation of Puzo or Coppola. Has Paramount secured these rights to make IV? If that's the case I could see Paramount deciding to produce the film and release it before the book comes out to cash in on the anticipation this book will create. Even if the Puzo family has some control and input, you're talking about a potential disaster even if everyone involved has the best intentions. If I'm Paramount and I do have the rights to put out this movie already, why would I risk the book coming out, being hated (though still best-selling) and sour millions on any post-Puzo/Coppola involvement in this cashcow?

Straighten me out here if you can. The worst thing that could happen for me is to get a conflicting mythology. The subtle differences in the book from I and II never bothered me, but III's omissions did and that of course, was with Puzo and Coppola involved.

Nice website here guys. I've enjoyed reading the threads.

I agree with PP, in that he sounds sincere. I don't know whether I am disappointed or not. Of course, we don't want a book/movie that's lousy, and yet part of me does want to see more!

Does the author have the final word on whether a film is made from a book? I imagine so, and yet we all know that money talks, so you never know.

By the way, welcome to the board Vito Illeman Corleone. I'm glad you finally decided to post. It was nice talking to you in the chatbox today. I look forward to sharing thoughts with you.

TIS

Welcome V.I.C, we can always use a Dutchy!

I am not sure what I feel about the whole thing really. I do agree with wanting "more". We know so much but then there is so much we don't a "gf4" could fill in some of the unknown. It would be awful for what we would learn to be garbage though.
~~My 2 cents~~

WHAT???? He doesn't know how many children Sonny has? Hazy? unformular with italian-americans? This guy knows nothing about the godfather! He's just on the take. I hope someone will just make a settlement with him and start over. The Godfather deserve much more than this. Heck, at least KNOW the characters.

opps! I have been up too long. I thought Mark said those things about his lack of knowledge of the Godfather.

I started reading Crooked River Burning, and Winegardner's style is similar to Puzo's in that they are both good at creating visual images. I'd never heard of him before reading this thread, but I think Winegardner could pull this off.

Most authors are good at creating visual images.

Thats right,I think it's their job to create an interesting visual imagery to keep us all enthralled in their work

But, thanks Liz 85 for your feedback on Winegardners work, for as we know, some authors are much better at the visual imagery than others. I hope your right about him being able to 'pull it off' think of the disappointment if it doesn't work On the opposite side, think of all those thread topics about how awful it was we could all write

FH

I know it's important for authors to creat visual imagery, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant he's very descriptive like Puzo, lots of authors aren't.

See the whole thing between the books and the movies is this. In the book it ends where Godfather 2 ends if I'm not mistaken where as the third film was just on film and not an installment to the book series. Which is why the proposition is open to write the next installment.
Given the age of the actors/actresses, the rights to the godfather films being owned by paramount and the success (or failure) of this new novel, I wouldn't count on a film adaptation. I am, however, really hoping to see Omerta made into a movie as it was promised. I was told Michael Imperioli is supposed to play the role of Astorre Viola and considering he did the audio tape of Omerta, that makes it more believable.

I'd like to see another film, only because I love the series...

But this new guy, I dunno...I guess we'll have to see what happens with this book.

In another topic i said this could be good or really bad.I've changed my mind.The Godfather was written from mario puzo and this book came from his heart and his brain.He knows the chracters better than anyone else,also a very good knowledge of the mafia.It marios book not this other guys and i dont think he deserves to write the book.

Despite having created the book, characters and movies, and having the mafia knowledge he learnt at a library. He had the culture to back him up. And that; this guy can never have... This whole scenario; is sacriligious. I smell a big facade to cash in on Puzo's work.

Puzo himself was no saint, he always stated, that making money was important to him, most likely because he never really had any his whole life. But this man... I don't know. I probably won't even read this "sequel". Time will tell ["Pray for time Keinzing. A habit born out of a long contemplation of eternity".]